Duty Over Love
by Contrail
Summary: After meeting Kunzite's reincarnation for the first time, Minako recalls the Silver Millennium and choices that were made then. [VenusKunzite]


**Duty Over Love**  
by Contrail

**Disclaimer:** Sailor Moon was created by Naoko Takeuchi, not me, and I'm using the characters and setting without her permission. I'm not making any money off of this.

* * *

"You always choose something more important than love."  
- Kaitou Ace to Minako, Codename: Sailor V, Act 15

* * *

Minako sat by her window and stared up at the moon, too keyed up by what had happened that night to sleep yet. She was glad she no longer had to pretend to be the Moon Princess, but the way poor Usagi-chan had found out the truth...! They'd taken her home after she fainted, and Minako was hoping she'd be able to get some rest. How heart-breaking it must be, for Serenity and Endymion to have found each other again, only for Endymion to almost die and be taken away by the Dark Kingdom... She'd need their support in the coming days more than ever.

But Minako had to admit to herself that concerns for her Princess weren't the only things keeping her awake. Tonight had ben the first night she had seen... him... since they'd both been reborn. She'd been so distracted by him, trying to see some remnant of the man she'd once known within him, that she hadn't been able to take the lead in battle as she should have, or even protect the Princess until it was too late. Then again, Kunzite had always been a distraction, ever since she first saw him in her past life...

* * *

Sailor Venus slowly let her feet touch down on Earth's soil before letting the light of her power fade from around her. She began to stalk through the forest towards her target, anger radiating off her in waves. Serenity had slipped away from her duties to visit this planet and its Prince yet again. And, since she was the leader of the Princess's guardians and the only one with enough power to transport herself to Earth alone and not make the Princess's visits public knowledge by dragging her back through the transporters, she had to be the one to drag Serenity back to her duties when she lost track of time on Earth.

She knew the training and duties her Princess had were trying at times. (To be honest, some of the things they had to learn bored her to tears.) But she really wished Serenity had chosen a safer way to escape from her duties. She had to admit Earth was a lovely planet, all green plants and blue water and fresh air, but less than two hundred years ago it had still been a mess of petty kingdoms fighting among themselves! This Golden Kingdom that now ruled over Earth seemed stable enough, but there had been times before in Earth's history when it seemed like a stable rulership over the planet would be established only to be shattered a couple of Earth generations later.

The volatile nature of Earth's still developing culture was why interaction with its inhabitants was forbidden by the laws of the Silver Millennium save for times when great evil threatened Earth. Laws that Serenity would have to uphold when she became Queens, laws that the Princess was flouting with her constant visits to Earth to meet with her paramour!

Finally reaching the clearing where Serenity was meeting with Earth's Prince, she grasped one of the Princess's long pigtails, tugging on it lightly to get her attention. "Princess! You came here again!? Come on, we're going home." She was so focused on her goal of getting Serenity back home that she didn't realize that there was more people in the clearing than she had expected until she heard a deep chuckle that couldn't have come from Prince Endymion.

Looking up, she saw the most handsome man she'd ever seen looking at her with an intense silver gaze. "It must be rough handling a princess with an insatiable curiosity," he continued in that deep voice, a hint of a smile gracing his lips. Her eyes wide and her face flushing, she couldn't think of a single thing to say to him. Her pulse was racing, she'd never been so flustered by the mere sight of a man in her life!

Serenity, paying no heed to the tension between them, moved forward and said, "I don't think the two of you have meet each other before. Psyche, this is Lord Kunzite of House Boreas, Tennou of the North, and the leader of Endymion's Shitennou. Lord Kunzite, this is Princess Psyche of Venus, the Sailor Senshi of Venus, and the leader of the four Sailor Senshi who are my guardians."

Lord Kunzite made a formal bow to her, taking her gloved hand and pressing a brief kiss upon it. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."

It was only the manners instilled in her since birth that enabled her to return the bow with a polite inclination of her head, and a murmured, "The pleasure is mine, My Lord. But my Princess and I must really be returning to the Moon." Seizing the opportunity, she took a firm hold of Serenity's wrist and began dragging the Princess away before she made a complete fool of herself in front of Lord Kunzite. Serenity giggled and blew a kiss to Prince Endymion before allowing herself to be lead away by the leader of her guardians.

From behind her, Psyche heard Lord Kunzite's call out, "I look forward to our next meeting, Sailor Venus." Shivering, she quickened her pace, almost making Serenity trip in her efforts to keep up. She'd found men attractive before, and she'd always enjoyed flirting with them, wielding the power of her beauty over them, but none of them had affected her as profoundly as Lord Kunzite did. She would be more in control of herself if they met again, she vowed to herself. Her pride as the Senshi of Love would not allow herself to make a fool of herself in front of a man, even one so handsome as Lord Kunzite!

Almost a week later, Psyche found herself making the trip down to Earth again, for the exact same reason. Striding in the direction of her Princess, she spotted a tall man standing in a small clearing in the surrounding woods. As she stalked closer, her heart skipped a beat when she recognized Lord Kunzite. Taking a moment to get her emotions under control as much as possible, she continued forward, stopping a few feet from him and asking, "Have you seen Princess Serenity come this way, My Lord?"

"My Prince is meeting with her a few yards behind me," Lord Kunzite replied. "Your Princess is quite good at slipping away from you, is she not?"

A wry smile graced Venus's lips. "It would be a lot harder if she were not capable of traveling to Earth as she wishes. But she's not as good at preventing me from following her, so I'll retrieve her now and you can get your Prince home as well."

Venus moved to walk around him, but Lord Kunzite raised one of his arms to block her path. "I'm afraid I'm not supposed to let you do that, Sailor Venus," he stated calmly.

She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him. "And pray tell, why not?"

"Because my Prince asked me to make sure he was allowed sufficient time with her. Unless it is quite urgent for your Princess to return immediately, I would suggest you find something to do to occupy your time until they are finished." Lord Kunzite showed no concern that she might try to force her way past him. The man seemed amused, if anything.

Considering her options, Venus had to concede that Serenity's presence was not truly required for anything for a decent amount of time. Perhaps if she gave them more time together, Serenity's infatuation with the Terran prince would run its course that much sooner. "So, is there anything to do around here that's more entertaining than counting trees?" she asked casually.

"I happen to have brought a pair of practice swords with me, if you would care to spar with me," Lord Kunzite replied, offering one of the wooden swords to her.

Venus raised an eyebrow at him, wondering how much planning had gone into this method of keeping her from taking Serenity back home immediately, but said lightly, "Mmm, it doesn't look like anything more entertaining is likely to come along. Besides," she winked at him before continuing, "I have to make sure my Princess is well protected when she's here on Earth."

Grasping the hilt of the offered practice sword, she walked an appropriate distance away before turning back to face Lord Kunzite. She swung the practice sword a few times to get a feel for its balance before saluting him with it and getting into a ready stance. They circled each other a few times, examining the other for weaknesses, before she grew impatient and assayed a quick strike towards him, more to test his defenses than in any hope of actually striking him. He countered with an attack of his own, and the sparring match was on.

The clacking of the wooden swords striking each other and the shuffling of feet quickly filled the clearing. It quickly became clearly that he had the better reach and more strength, but she was faster, darting her attacks towards small, transient openings faster than he had expected her to be capable of. As they continued to trade blows, neither was able to gain a clear advantage. Ignoring her desire to admire his graceful movements as they fought back and forth across the clearing was difficult, and made her grateful for her endless training on how to stay focused in battle.

Spotting a risky opportunity to end the match, Venus went for it. She feinted left, luring Kunzite's sword out of position, before snapping her sword around and up to press against his chest, right above his heart. "I believe I have you now, My Lord," she stated with a smile, resisting an urge to laugh with joy.

"So you do, but I have you as well," he replied, and she could feel the smoothly polished wood of his practice sword tapping against her neck.

Smile fading, she swallowed carefully. "I suppose you do, at that."

The beginnings of a smile tugged at Kunzite's lips. "It seems we are at an impasse, Your Highness. Shall we call this match a draw?"

Venus gave him a wider smile of her own and inclined her head briefly. "We shall, My Lord." She moved the wooden practice sword away from Kunzite and back to her side as he lowered his weapon as well.

"So, have I eased your concerns about keeping your Princess protected from harm while she visits my Prince?" Kunzite asked with that almost-smile still playing on his lips.

"Well..." Venus drew out her answer, tapping one finger next to her mouth in a deliberately exaggerated gesture of thinking the question over. "You are an excellent swordsman, I must admit. If the skill you displayed in our match is a fair example of your abilities in general, I have no doubt that Princess Serenity will be well protected while on Earth."

"No, I'm usually much better, actually," Kunzite replied with a seriousness that was belied by the gleam of amusement shining in his eyes.

"Oh? So what caused the great Kunzite to perform at less than his best?" Venus asked in a teasing tone of voice.

"I must confess, your fair form in such revealing garments was somewhat of a distraction, Your Highness."

Venus laughed softly, her face flushing a little. "I think such distraction must have been intended by the designer of these outfits," she answered, fingering the hem of her skirt. "These could have been made longer without impeding mobility. But I have to admit, you are not incapable of being a distraction yourself, My Lord."

Kunzite inclined his head towards her. "I must take your word for it, as there are very few female warriors on Earth so that has never been a consideration in my fighting."

Venus looked up to judge the position of the sun and sighed. "I'm afraid it is time for me to take my Princess back to the Moon. I suppose I will see you the next time she decides to visit your Prince again."

"Most likely. I enjoyed the match and spending this time with you, Sailor Venus, and I look forward to the next time we meet," Kunzite replied sincerely.

"I look forward to that time as well, Lord Kunzite." Venus gave him one last brilliant smile before moving past him to retrieve Serenity.

She had spoken more truly than she knew at the time, as the following weeks proved. Psyche kept a closer eye on Princess Serenity than ever, not to prevent her from slipping away to Earth, but to make sure she would be able to see Kunzite when she followed Serenity to bring her back, no matter how briefly. Every time she went down to Earth to fetch Serenity now, he was there to see and talk to her, whether for a few moments or for more than an hour.

Their conversations, while initially light, soon included deeper topics as they sought to get to know and understand one another, although they avoided discussing the political situation between their two kingdoms. The one time that Psyche asked Kunzite about his family, he told her briefly that his father had died of old age and that his twin brother was now the Grand Duke of the North, then clammed up. Venus sighed but let it go, gracefully changing subjects, but continuing to wonder what made him not want to talk about his family.

Neither one of them addressed the tension between them, the lingering glances, the touches that lasted a bit longer than necessary, the times they stood or sat a bit closer than was proper. It never went further than that, even though part of her longed for more, wanted to be the one to get past his controlled exterior and experience the passion within. But Psyche had reasons for not moving to take things further, and he did not make any overtures in that regard, either.

On the days she got to see him, Psyche's spirits soared even higher than usual, while the longer she went without seeing him the more it weighed on her heart. Thoughts (and fantasies) of Kunzite kept creeping into her mind, making her more distracted and scatterbrained than usual.

One evening, Psyche was sitting at the mirrored vanity in her chambers after all her duties were done with for the day, brushing her hair. She was in a good mood since she'd seen Kunzite earlier that day. Artemis was visiting her chambers that evening, ensconced in a nearby chair and watching what she was doing. Artemis was officially an advisor to the Queen, but when she had first arrived on the Moon a few months before the Princess's birth he had been assigned to her as a mentor and advisor to help her grow into the responsibilities that would be hers as the leader of the Princess's Guardians.

Artemis cleared his throat, then finally spoke. "I suppose I should congratulate you on being unusually discrete this time, Psyche. Usually your little trysts are known about all over the palace, but I haven't heard a whisper of this one."

Psyche's hand stilled in its brushing for a long moment before continuing. "I'm not courting anyone right now, Artemis," she said flatly.

Artemis rolled his eyes. "Right. You're acting more lovesick than I've ever seen you act, but of course you're not courting anyone," he said sarcastically.

"I think you're imagining things," she replied sharply, turning to face him although she couldn't quite meet his eyes. "Really, Artemis, I'm not interested in anyone in the court right now," she told him more gently.

Giving her a skeptical look, he said, "If you say so. But you know where to find me when you're ready to talk to me about whatever's been affecting your behavior lately." With that, Artemis jumped down from the chair he had been perched on and stalked away.

Psyche bit her lip unhappily. She hadn't wanted to hurt Artemis's feelings, but she couldn't exactly tell him about Kunzite. Explaining him to Artemis would require explaining about how she had met him, and that would require her to betray Serenity's trust in her, something she would never do. Even if she could tell Artemis about it, he'd probably tell her to just forget about Kunzite, because nothing could ever come of it.

She gazed thoughtfully at her own reflection in the mirror. Artemis had called her 'lovesick'. Love... Had what she felt for Kunzite become that strong? She'd had more than her fair share of infatuations before, but this was stronger and deeper than any of them had ever been. She wanted him, but she also just wanted to be with him, share her life with him and have him share his... She didn't think it _could_ be anything but love.

_And we will never be able to be together properly,_ she thought to herself sadly. Romantic relationships with Terrans were strictly forbidden by laws dating back to when they first came and settled on the Moon. Serenity had been able to get away with sneaking off to Earth without being caught because of her own ability to travel between the worlds, but also because her Guardian Senshi covered for her when she went missing, no matter how much they scolded her about it in private. But she'd get caught eventually, or perhaps she would tire of Endymion, and Serenity's visits to Earth stop, taking Psyche's opportunities to see Kunzite with them.

She did have the power to go on her own, of course, but if she were caught, she would bring great shame on her position. She was supposed to be a leader and role model for the rest of the Guardian Senshi, for the whole kingdom even, and upholding the laws was part of that, even if she didn't always agree with them. And she doubted such an ancient law could be changed without at least a century's worth of debate first.

Psyche sighed, a hopeless sound. Knowing that she loved Kunzite just made the whole situation more painful. She'd act the same as she always had, not letting things go too far. She didn't want to be haunted by memories of what she would never be able to do again once they stopped being able to see each other. It was safer to leave things as they were. With another sigh, she turned off the lights and got into bed, already anticipating a restless night.

A few days after that thoughtful evening she spotted Serenity trying to sneak out of the Palace so she could go visit Earth again. Venus trailed behind her, catching up to her in a columned hallway. "I found you, Princess!" Serenity winced at being discovered, then turned around to face Venus' concerned eyes. "Are you going to see the prince again? It's dangerous for you to go near him just for your amusement!"

"It's not for my amusement," Serenity declared passionately. "You, Venus, have never really loved someone, so you don't understand how I feel!"

With that the Princess stuck her tongue out at Venus and dashed off, leaving a frustrated Venus to hiss "Princess!" at her retreating back.

Even though the Princess was gone and could not hear her, Venus still muttered "Aww, I have too..." while looking at where Serenity left the hallway. She thought back to the first time she met Kunzite, how easily his attention had made her blush, and how even then her heart had started to be drawn to him.

"Venus?" Mercury's questioning voice broke into her thoughts, causing her to shake off her reveries and pull her mind back to the present.

"I'm worried..." she said, giving voice to her concerns for the Princess. "Someday she will be queen, watching over Earth and protecting the Phantom Silver Crystal. Even though she's in love, she may get hurt..." _When she learns that even Queens are bound by laws and the will of the people, and that there are some things she can't have no matter how badly she wants them,_ Venus finished in her own mind.

Even though Mercury was the most intelligent of the Senshi, she had no answer to give Venus that would assuage her concerns.

When her Princess returned from Earth, she was oddly subdued considered she had just come back from visiting the man she loved. Psyche arranged it so that she would be alone with Serenity in her chambers, then asked, "What is wrong? Did something happen between you and Endymion while you were on Earth?"

Serenity shook her head. "Everything was fine between us, Psyche." She bit her lip, then continued, "But while I was on Earth, I saw this strange dark cloud hovering over a ring of dark stones. Endymion said that it had just appeared there some time ago, and have gradually appeared in other places since then. Looking at that dark cloud, a chill crept into my heart. Nothing good will come from it, of that I am sure."

"Perhaps we will be able to find out more about these places of darkness if we take a look at them through the viewscreen." Venus stood up and lead the way out onto the Princess' balcony where the viewscreen was hung. "Can you direct it the area where you saw the darkness, Serenity?"

Serenity manipulated the controls, and the viewscreen filled with swirling darkness. "That should be the right area, but we're getting nothing but darkness. Shouldn't it be able to see through the clouds like it does with normal rain clouds."

Venus frowned. "I've never heard of any sort of atmospheric condition that would block the viewscreen like this." She reached out and retuned it to one of the preset settings, and a view of that place on Earth was swiftly displayed on the screen. "It doesn't seem to be malfunctioning, although I'll have Mercury or one of the technicians come check it out anyway."

Venus studied the tips of her shoes, knowing what she had to say next would not go over well with her Princess. "Serenity, you shouldn't go back to Earth until we find out what this darkness is or something is done to get rid of it. I know you'll miss Prince Endymion, but we can't let you put yourself in danger. You're the only heir of the Silver Millennium."

Serenity said nothing, just looked down at the floor, refusing to meet her eyes. Venus sighed. "You must promise me that you won't go to Earth, Serenity," she said in an unyielding tone of voice.

"I promise," Serenity mumbled resentfully, still not meeting her eyes.

"Good, because I'll be holding you to it. If I find out that you've broken it, I'll have to go to the Queen and tell her everything."

Serenity's head snapped up at that, eyes wide and horrified. "You wouldn't!"

"I would," Venus said firmly. "I've been keeping your visits to Earth from her because I didn't think there was any real harm in them. But I can't let you endanger yourself." Her expression softening, she reached out and placed a gentle hand on Serenity's shoulder. "I would never be able to live with myself if I let you get hurt, Serenity, not just because you're my responsibility, but because you're my friend."

Serenity sighed, the will to argue about this leaving her. "I understand why you're asking this of me, and I'll do it, but I wish things didn't have to be this way."

Psyche smiled sadly at her. "So do I, Serenity, so do I."

Her Princess made one last visit to Earth to tell Endymion why she wouldn't be able to see him for a while and say good-bye. Venus accompanied her the entire time. Kunzite was there as well, and she thought that he looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn't say a single word from the time they arrived until they left.

The next weeks were tense, with Serenity listening to what little news was coming from Earth. There had always been a certain amount of anti-Lunarian sentiment on Earth because of the distance the more advanced Lunarians kept, but there were disturbing reports of large protests being held against Lunarians, some of which turned violent. And the spots of darkness on the Earth's surface were gradually becoming larger and more numerous.

One morning, Serenity gave out a shocked gasp when reading the latest news from Earth. Hastening to look over Serenity's shoulder to find out what had distressed her Princess, Venus read the latest report, eyes growing wider with every word she read. Prince Endymion's parents, King Talaus and Queen Sodalite, had been assassinated by someone working for an unknown group. The assassin had killed himself after completing his mission, preventing him from being questioned. The King and Queen of Earth had been well-loved; Their deaths were only going to make the deteriorating situation on Earth worse.

Queen Serenity called a special council session to discuss the matter. After they reached a decision, the Queen requested that the Princess's Guardians come see her. Venus lead Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter into the receiving chamber the Queen had chosen for this meeting and knelt before her, saluting her respectfully. "What did you wish to ask of us, Your Majesty?"

"I assume you are aware of the events that have been happening recently on Earth?" the Queen asked, her face calm but her voice carrying hints of sadness she couldn't quite suppress.

"We are, Your Majesty," Venus replied.

"I have decided to send a detachment of soldiers from each of your planets to aid the Earth during these troubled times. They will help free up more of the Golden Kingdom's own soldiers to help restore order, as well as helping with the investigation of the source of the darkness now shrouding parts of the Earth. I want you to be the ones to lead the troops to Earth and turn over the command of the troops to them. Each detachment will be under the command of one of Endymion's Shitennou until the situation is over and the troops are recalled to their homeworlds."

The other Senshi behind her nodded as Venus said, "We will be honored to, Your Majesty."

It took a few days for the soldiers to be prepared and assembled. The large transporters on the Moon were used to bring them to Earth. Endymion, still officially the Crown Prince of Earth since no coronation had been held yet, nor would one be held until peace was restored to the Earth, was waiting for their arrival, his Shitennou at his side. Each Senshi approached the member of the Shitennou that had been designated to command their world's soldiers - Mars to Jadeite, Mercury to Zoisite, Jupiter to Nephrite, and she walked over to Kunzite.

Kunzite made a formal bow to her, and Venus returned an equally formal curtsey to him. Addressing the Venusian soldiers, she officially placed them under Kunzite's command. She turned back to Kunzite and said, "Please take good care of them."

"As well as I am able to, Your Highness," he replied seriously, his silver gaze intense with unreadable emotion.

"Then I shall have no concerns about their survival then." She smiled gently at him, but his expression grew even more grave than it had been, and her own smile fell. "Are things going so badly here?" Venus asked softly.

Kunzite kept his voice quiet as he answered her, not wanting the soldiers to overhear him. "The more the mysterious darkness grows, the more unrest there is. It feels as if the two are connected, but I don't know how. I fear what will happen if we can't find a way to stop the darkness' spread, if it ends up covering all of Earth... I think we will all be lost, then."

_Kunzite... is afraid?_ she thought to herself with a shiver. "That is why we have sent you aid, in hopes that it will enable you to drive back whatever is causing the darkness," Venus said with determined optimism.

"I hope it will be enough," Kunzite said, sounding as if he did not believe it would be.

"I will wish for peace to return to Earth with all my heart," she promised.

The grim set of his features softened just a little. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Venus gave him an encouraging smile, then sighed. "I'm afraid that I need to gather the other Senshi and return to the Moon now. Fare you well, Lord Kunzite." She curtseyed formally again and moved to walk away from him, but he quickly reached out and grasped her hand. She looked up at him and froze when her eyes met his. He was staring at her, his eyes seething with emotion.

"I need to talk with you in private... Psyche." Her heart was beating faster in her chest. That was the first time he'd ever called her by her given name... and she could guess what he might want to talk to her about.

"But, the other Senshi..." she said weakly.

"Will be fine without your guidance for a short time," he finished for her. Tearing her eyes away from him, she quickly looked around to see how they were doing. Jadeite was eyeing Mars with obvious interest, but was being steadily ignored by her. Mercury and Zoisite had apparently found a subject of mutual interest to discuss, probably highly technical knowing her. Finally, Jupiter and Nephrite were carrying on a quiet conversation.

Turning back to Kunzite, Venus found her eyes caught by his again. She knew she would probably regret going with him, but she would regret not going even more. "Lead on, then." He let go of her hand and moved forward confidently as she fell in behind him.

The field the Senshi had brought their planets' soldiers to was bordered on one side by a forest, and it was into the forest that he lead her. Once they were far enough in that they would not be seen or heard, he turned to face her. Kunzite reached one hand forward to gently cup her cheek, causing her heart to beat faster and heat to rise to her face. "The fortunes of war are always uncertain," he said softly. "I don't know when we will see each other again, and I don't want to have regrets to carry with me, Psyche."

The hand he had laid on her cheek slid into her hair, and he wrapped his other arm around her waist and gently pulled her into him. His lips covered her own, gently caressing them. She couldn't help but respond to the kiss, her lips moving under his, her fingers digging into the fabric of the uniform jacket he was wearing. They both poured their emotions into the kiss, loving and passionate and bittersweet. Psyche was the one to pull away first, tears building in her eyes. Kunzite's hand moved back to her cheek, tilting her head up so he could meet her eyes. "...Beloved?" he asked gently.

Her heart twinged at the endearment he used, presaging the heartbreak she was going to inflict on them both. "Why did you have to give me what I will never be able to have again, my love?" she asked, more accusation than question. He opened his mouth to speak, but she quickly placed her hand upon it to prevent him from doing so. "Even when you survive this war," she said, for she could not allow herself to believe that he would not, "we will not be able to be together. The laws of the Silver Millennium forbid it."

Kunzite gave her a doubtful look. "But, Princess Serenity-"

"-Is young enough not to realize all of the responsibilities of her position," Psyche cut in. "She has the power to come here, and so she does. We cover for her because we don't want her to be hurt. But as the leader of my Princess's Guardian Senshi, I must be seen to uphold the laws of the Silver Millennium. If it was ever discovered that I was meeting with a Terran lover in secret, I would be disgraced."

"Can the laws not be changed?" he asked with a note of frustration in his voice.

"Not without convincing the Queen's council that they should be changed, which is very unlikely with everything that's happened," Psyche replied sadly.

"I don't understand why the Silver Millennium even instituted that law in the first place. If you wish to help and protect the Earth, as you often say, why stay so isolated from us?" he questioned.

"Because when our people first settled here, the people of Earth were primitive and fragmented. If we had opened full contact then, we would have ended up shaping the culture of Earth in our own image no matter how good our intentions would have been. We wanted to let you grow in your own way, so the Earth would become a strong ally, not just an extension of our own kingdom," she explained.

"Have we not become strong enough yet?" Kunzite asked, staring into her eyes intensely. "The Earth has been united into one kingdom that will not be broken. Before this darkness came, the last serious rebellion was in the time of Endymion's grandfather. We have magic and technology of our own, even if it does not equal that of the Silver Millennium. Our sense of identity is not so weak that we would lose it if there were more contact between the kingdoms."

"I am not the one you need to convince, my love," Psyche said bitterly. "The councilors are old and set in their ways. They might be convinced in time to change the laws, but I fear that you would be dead and gone by that time."

"What of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion? Would she not find a way to make things change so she can marry the man she loves once she becomes Queen?"

Psyche shook her head. "She has no more power to change this than I do. She is young, still; She fancies herself in love with Prince Endymion, but she may change her mind in time." _At least, I hope so,_ she thought to herself. _I would not wish this pain upon her._

Kunzite simply looked at her for several long moments, his features hardening into a controlled mask. "So," he finally said, "you call me your love, yet you are unwilling to fight against the obstacles that would keep us apart?"

She turned her face away. "Some obstacles cannot be defeated," she said quietly.

"Believe that if you will," he said coldly, stepping away from her.

She reached out a hand halfway towards him, then let it fall and turned away. "Even though we can never be together, my heart will always be yours, Kunzite." She slowly walked back to where they had left everyone, using the time to compose her face into an emotionless mask. The truth of what she had said was making itself known; With every step away from Kunzite it felt like another piece of her heart was being pulled out of her to remain behind.

She gestured sharply for the other Senshi to join her so they could return to the Moon. Mercury was the first to arrive and quietly asked, "Is there something wrong, Venus?"

"No!" she snapped back. The others quickly gathered and they were soon back in the Moon Palace. They began to split up to return to their assigned duties, but Jupiter caught ahold of her arm before Venus could leave.

"Did something happen while you were talking with Lord Kunzite?" she asked gently.

"Nothing happened," she gritted out between clenched teeth. "Neither you or the others are to speak of it again." She pulled her arm out of Jupiter's grasp and strode down the hall, watched by Jupiter's worried eyes.

The troops they leant to aid Earth's armies did little to slow the advance of the darkness that was continuing to enshroud the planet further. Since their viewscreens could not pierce that darkness, as the darkness advanced they could see less and less of what was going on on Earth, and they weren't receiving any news from Earth through other channels either. Despite the fact they could no longer see anything but darkness, Princess Serenity often kept a worried vigil by the viewscreen in her apartments, fretting over the well-being of the Prince she loved. Her guardians took turns keeping her company during these times. Psyche worried over what might happen to Kunzite herself, although she kept up a cheerful mask to hide it.

It was during one of Venus's turns accompanying Serenity that Serenity abruptly gasped, staring off into space for a few moments before her eyes refocused into a determined gaze. "Endymion is in danger. I must to go him!" Serenity announced before springing to her feet and dashing to an unroofed portion of her balcony so she could transport herself to Earth in a flash of silver light.

Venus was still debating whether she should follow the Princess alone or get the other guardians and follow her together a few minutes later when Serenity returned from Earth, holding Prince Endymion in her arms. They both seemed tired from the strain of being transported over such distances but otherwise unharmed. She waited for them both to catch their breaths before focusing a piercing gaze on the Prince of Earth and asking, "What, exactly, has happened on Earth to make my Princess decide that she needed to go there and bring you back here in such a hurry?"

The expression on the Prince's face as he pulled away from Serenity's embrace and turned to her almost made her wince, so pained and lost it was, but he soon took control of himself, burying his emotions under a calm mask so he could answer her question. "The armies of Earth are coming to make war on the Moon, to end your supposed oppression and take the Phantom Silver Crystal for their own use. I tried to make them see reason but..." The lost expression began to creep back into his face and voice. "Even my Shitennou have been influenced by the darkness and would not listen to me. I do not know how things would have ended if Serenity had not come for me."

"What of the soldiers my planet and the others sent to aid you?" Venus asked.

"The darkness taints them as much as it does those native to Earth. They aren't being harmed unless they object to the new orders," he replied.

Venus frowned. She knew the loaned soldiers would have been badly outnumbered and quickly killed if they'd tried to fight the Terran soldiers, but she hated the prospect of having to fight some of their own men to stop this invasion. If it could be stopped. "When will they be attacking, do you know?"

"No, I don't know for certain. Very soon, though."

She nodded sharply. "We must tell the Queen this unfortunate news at once, then." Turning to Serenity, who had been watching their discussion with frightened eyes, she began, "Princess, it would be better-"

The Princess's expression firmed into determination as she interrupted. "No, I won't stay here, Venus. I refuse to be separated from Endymion any longer, now that I have him here."

She sighed, knowing when there wasn't any point to arguing with the Princess. "Fine. But you will have me or another of your guardians at your side at all times until the danger has passed. And we must go to your mother _now_." With that, Venus turned on her heel and lead the way out of Serenity's apartments and into the rest of the Palace. Prince Endymion followed quickly behind her, with Serenity latched securely onto his arm for comfort.

They were most of the way to the Throne Room when they heard alarm bells that had not been sounded except for drills in centuries begin to ring, indicating that the Palace was under attack. "Already?!" she gasped in surprise. The Prince had said that the Terran armies would attack soon, but she'd thought there'd be enough time to pull at least a few soldiers in from the other planets. The small amount of soldiers normally on the Moon would have been easily overwhelmed.

The three of them changed course and began running towards the gates of the Palace. The Princess's other guardians joined them as they made their way there, and Venus briefed them as best she could while on the move. As they came closer to the Palace gates, Prince Endymion increased his pace to go through them ahead of the others, and Serenity dashed forward to follow him.

When Venus and the rest of the Princess's guardians reached the gates and stepped through them, they could see that the armies had already breached the outer defenses and were charging the main gates to the palace itself. An unfamiliar woman with long auburn hair was leading them, shouting, "We will make the Moon Kingdom ours! We will take the Phantom Silver Crystal!" The woman's eyes fell on where Prince Endymion was standing with his sword drawn, and Serenity sheltering behind him, and fury filled her features. "Prince! Do you betray the Earth!? All of this is for Earth's prosperity!" she cried out to him.

The Prince moved his sword up into a defensive stance, his face a mix of determination and sorrow. "Stop this! We must not have war and hatred!" he shouted back, still trying to convince his people to snap out of the madness that had taken hold of them.

A dark cloud with glowing eyes and teeth materialized around the woman as she smiled ferally and raised her sword above her head, ready to bring it down not on Prince Endymion but on Princess Serenity. Not being able to move his sword into a position to block the strike, he took the blow intended for Serenity with his own body. Time seemed to slow as Endymion's body fell to the ground, Serenity's cry of "Noooo! Endymion!!" the only sound to be heard in the sudden silence.

Everyone on the battlefield was too gripped by shock to move, except for Serenity. So no one was close enough to interfere when Serenity picked up Prince Endymion's sword and thrust it through her own heart. Venus' own voice rang out this time, crying "Princess! Prince!!" Serenity had always protested that she was in love with him, but to care enough to follow him into death... Venus cursed herself for not understanding how deep her Princess's feelings truly ran earlier. Now there was nothing she could do but avenge her death.

Fury filled her as she charged the woman responsible for everything that had just happened, summoning the holy sword of the Silver Millennium into her hands as she moved. Taking the woman by surprise, she slashed her throat open in one quick stroke. Watching the woman topple backwards onto the ground, Venus never saw the sword coming toward her until it pierced her chest. Blue eyes wide with surprise, she looked up to meet Kunzite's cold silver stare. "You really should pay more attention, Sailor Venus," he said icily.

She felt her knees buckle beneath her but couldn't move her eyes away from Kunzite's. "Kunzite... your Prince... Why?" she gasped out.

"Because if your Princess hadn't enchanted him, he would have seen the truth and fought with us, not died to protect _her_," he spat out. She shook her head slowly in denial. How could this be the man who had tried to convince her that Serenity and Prince Endymion's love could close the gap between their kingdoms and allow their own love to bloom? Could her words to him have hurt him so badly?

But then there was no more time to wonder, as the other Senshi called out their attacks in unison.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!"  
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"  
"Burning Mandala!"

Blue ice, green lightning, and red flame streaked towards Kunzite. He erected a translucent magical shield around himself, but the combined power of the attacks shattered it and they still had enough energy to destroy him, leaving nothing but ashes behind.

No longer having the strength to stay upright, she slumped over to one side and onto the ground. The last thing her dimming sight showed to her was the remaining members of the Shitennou charging the Senshi. Then darkness took her completely as her breath ceased and her heart stopped beating...

* * *

Pulling herself out of her memories of the past, Minako sighed. His eyes had been so cold at the end. If she hadn't rejected his love, would he have listened to the darkness? If he'd resisted, would he and the Prince been able to keep the rest of the Shitennou from falling to the darkness? Could they have then worked together to prevent the fall of the Silver Millenium? Or had their doom been inevitable from the time the darkness had come to Earth? Even now, the past tragedies seemed to want to repeat themselves, with the Prince nearly dying to save the Princess...

Minako shook her head sharply. Even if things could have been different, there was no way to go back and change the past. No way to change the fact that in this time, Kunzite had pledged himself completely to the service of the Dark Kingdom. The next time they met, she would have to join her power with the others and strike him down without hesitation.

And she would. It was her duty, after all, and she's always chosen to place her duty over love.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Manga dialogue is taken from Alex Glover's newer translations from the Japanese manga.

In this story, I tried to make the Silver Millennium an imperfect but still fairly good place. For it to be completely perfect is unrealistic, but I tend to find stories that go too far in making it imperfect somewhat offputting. I hope I managed to strike a successful balance here.


End file.
